LASTING IMPACT

Craig Rimmerman

by Jessica Evangelista Balduzzi ’05

“My students have been and will always be my first priority,” says Professor of Public Policy and Political Science Craig Rimmerman, who arrived at HWS nearly three decades ago. “I’ve been honored to work with highly motivated students who wish to make a contribution beyond Hobart and William Smith. What inspires me most is watching them thrive and grow.”

This spring, Rimmerman is teaching three courses, including two sections of “Democracy and Public Policy” and “Sexual Minority Movements and Public Policy,” which has its largest enrollment since he began teaching the course in 1994.

“Issues of sexual identity are not as big of a deal as they were in 1986 when I started here. The enrollment numbers reflect a growing acceptance on our campus, which
mirrors changes in the larger society. But much like on the national level, there is more work to be done,” says Rimmerman, who in 2012 received the faculty prize for scholarship.

Outside of the classroom, Rimmerman has an impressive record of scholarly achievement including an international reputation in three fields – gay and lesbian politics, civic activism and service learning. He is the author of eight books focusing
on ongoing urgent social issues including
From Identity to Politics: The Lesbian and Gay Movements in the United States, Gay Rights, Military Wrongs and Politics of Gay Rights. As a trendsetting researcher, he is an authority on youth activism, which he has detailed in his book The New Citizenship: Unconventional Politics, Activism, and Service, now in its fourth edition. Next year, he will release
the second edition of The Lesbian and Gay
Movements: Assimilation or Liberation? with a focus on what has and hasn’t been achieved during President Barack Obama’s tenure.

Rimmerman’s expertise, especially at the intersection of LGBT issues and politics, is regularly sought by the national media including the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, CNN, Christian Science Monitor, Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times.

But students will always remain Rimmerman’s focus. “Since arriving on campus all those years ago, I’ve kept the same approach: lead students to discover their life of mind in the liberal arts setting.”